BA (Hons) Philosophy

The BA (Hons) Philosophy is concerned with fundamental questions about, among other topics, the nature of reality, what we can know, and how we should act, and engages with some of the most searching, creative and influential thinkers of the past two-and-a-half thousand years.

Students explore central questions, arguments, theories and texts concerning the world and our place within it, developing rigour and clarity in thinking and writing. 

This degree programme combines a robust philosophy syllabus with a personalised elective pathway. Students can choose to deepen their focus on philosophy through their elective courses, or they can further contextualise and broaden their studies with courses that match other interests and goals.

This undergraduate degree equips you with a combination of analytical, critical thinking, and research skills, alongside communication and problem solving capabilities that are highly prized in the evolving employment market. These valuable and transferable skills open up a wide array of career possibilities upon graduation.

Our growing range of Elective courses include the subjects that have in the past been available as minors, plus some new popular subjects and interdisciplinary themes.

Focus on one subject or study multiple subjects.

Flexible Elective Pathway courses will enable students to choose to either:

• Deepen focus in their degree subject
  or
• Combine their studies with courses in a particular second subject
  or
• Explore a broad range of subjects, developing agile thinking across disciplinary boundaries

Discipline Pathways

• Art & Design
• Business
• Computer Science
• Creative Writing
• Data Science
• Economics
• English
• History
• Law
• Philosophy
• Politics & International Relations
• Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE)

Thematic Pathways

• Sustainability
• Technology & Ethics

Focus on one subject or study multiple subjects 

Elective courses enable students to either deepen their focus on Philosophy, or to combine their studies with courses in a particular second subject, or to explore a broad range of subjects, developing agile thinking across disciplinary boundaries.

• Rigorous, in-depth core subject study
• Interdisciplinary degrees, built around real-world problems
• Flexibility to create your own academic pathway with elective courses
• Gain core competencies and develop practical and transferable skills for your future career
• Embedded experiential opportunities to drive real-world change
• Explore the big issues that need agile thinking crossing subject boundaries
• Acquire the knowledge and experience that will empower you to make a meaningful impact in a fast-changing world
• Experience a semester abroad at one of Northeastern University’s campuses in the USA

You will experience learning at the University through a combination of formats and class sizes. Some of our courses are delivered through a high number of scheduled teaching or ‘contact’ hours, while others focus on smaller, more personalised, guided independent study, or hands-on or community-based projects.

Our academic staff selects the most appropriate pedagogy and contact hours for each individual course in order to support students to develop and succeed in their studies. This means that within your undergraduate Philosophy degree you are likely to experience a combination of scheduled lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials. The exact balance of these types of learning and number of contact hours will depend on the specific electives and optional courses you choose.

Most lectures and seminars will have a maximum of 40 student participants, while tutorials will typically have five or fewer students, and may sometimes be one-to-one. This personalised approach to teaching allows everyone to participate and thrive. 

Core competencies are embedded within our Philosophy degree programmes, preparing you for your future career while you are studying, so that you stand out from the crowd and are ready to succeed as soon as you graduate.

By the time you graduate, you will have taken courses fulfilling the following three competencies:

1. Writing Across Audiences and Genres
2. Integrating Knowledge and Skills Through Experience
3. Demonstrating Thought and Action in a Final Project (can be dissertation)

You will also have taken courses inculcating a minimum of four of these additional competencies, depending on your learning pathways:

• Engaging with the Natural and Designed World
• Exploring Creative Expression and Innovation
• Interpreting Culture
• Conducting Formal and Quantitative Reasoning
• Understanding Societies and Institutions
• Analysing and Using Data
• Engaging Differences and Diversity
• Employing Ethical Reasoning